Early Hairstreak
Erora laeta (W.H. Edwards, 1862)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Theclinae
Identification: No tails. Upperside blue and black; female has more blue than male. Underside turquoise blue; hindwing with 2 irregular bands of small orange spots.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 15/16 inch (2.2 - 2.4 cm).
Life History: Males perch in treetops to watch for females. Eggs are laid singly on the underside of host plant leaves; caterpillars feed on leaves and fruits.
Flight: Two broods in the north and three in the south, from April-September.
Caterpillar Hosts: Beech (Fagus grandifolia) and beaked hazel (Corylus cornuta).
Adult Food: Nectar from flowers of fleabane, ox-eyed daisy, and hardtack.
Habitat: Deciduous and mixed woods, especially on open ridgetops and along dirt roads.
Range: Rare and local in its range. Maritime Provinces west to northern Michigan and northern Wisconsin; south through the Appalachians to Tennessee and North Carolina.
Conservation: All confirmed populations should be conserved.
NCGR: G4 - Apparently secure globally, though it might be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: Protect habitats and nectar sources.
Comments: NULL
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Verified Sightings
Displaying 49 - 72 of 199 verified sightings
Observation date: Jun 08, 1997
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Tom Gagnon)
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 24, 1998
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Diane Potter)
Region: Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 25, 2003
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Tom Gagnon)
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 07, 2007
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Frank Model)
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 28, 2006
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Bill Benner #)
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 29, 1999
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Tom Dodd+Cathy Dodd)
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 30, 1999
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Tom Gagnon)
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 05, 2005
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Mike Nelson)
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 12, 2004
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Mark Lynch + Sheila Carroll)
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 07, 2009
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (fide Tom Gagnon)
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 06, 1993
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Edna Dunbar)
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 14, 1993
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Edna Dunbar and others)
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 01, 1995
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Diane Potter)
Region: Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: Jun 28, 2000
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Tony Moore)
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: May 29, 2006
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Bill Bouton)
Region: Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
Verified by: sharonstichter2 (MBC Recordkeeper)
Verified date: Jan 01, 2012
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter
Region: Alleghany County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 16, 2006
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Eiseman, Charlie)
Region: Chittenden County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (VBS staff)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Aug 03, 1961
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (R. Whittaker)
Region: Swain County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 15, 1995
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (S. Hartley)
Region: Ashe County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: unknown
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (L. Koehn)
Region: Swain County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 30, 2007
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Hart, Julie)
Region: Windsor County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Hart, Julie)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 08, 1992
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (HEL)
Region: Mitchell County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: Jul 03, 1999
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Thompson)
Region: Avery County, North Carolina, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (Notes on the Butterflies of North Carolina Database)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
Observation date: May 26, 2007
Submitted by: legacy.reporter (Armata, Terri)
Region: Bennington County, Vermont, United States
Verified by: legacy.verifier (VBS staff)
Verified date: May 01, 2011
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